Prosocial & Responsible Consumption

Theme: Beyond Citations

Research Initiative Summary

Our research fosters prosocial behavior and responsible consumption, impacting students, educators, social enterprises, and corporations. Through educational programs, measurement tools, and collaborative initiatives, we have engaged a broad audience of stakeholders and organizations, catalyzing curriculum reforms and sectorwide policy changes while driving social enterprise success and sustainable practices.

Inspiration for Research Initiative

The need for urgent action on responsible consumption and prosocial behavior has never been greater. Globally, unsustainable consumption patterns threaten environmental stability, exacerbate social inequalities, and undermine community well-being. In line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, our team recognized that addressing these interconnected challenges requires a multifaceted approach that reshapes individual habits, organizational practices, and sectorwide standards.

The call to action stemmed from several important trends. First, research reveals a persistent gap between awareness of sustainability issues and actual behavior change, especially among younger generations who are both future leaders and current market drivers. Generation Z, for instance, comprises 40 percent of global consumers and wields over 360 billion HKD (about 46.1 billion USD) in disposable income, yet faces significant barriers in translating knowledge into responsible action. Traditional models of ethical consumption often fail to account for the nuanced motivations and knowledge asymmetries that influence everyday choices.

Second, social enterprises, though positioned as vital agents of change, struggle to measure and communicate their social impact effectively. Many lack standardized tools to assess the multidimensional effects of their initiatives, hampering their capacity to secure funding, build partnerships, and scale solutions. In the sharing economy, too, paradoxical tensions exist between owners and users, requiring innovative strategies to foster trust, collaboration, and sustained engagement.

Third, the education sector faces mounting pressure to equip students with the values, knowledge, and skills necessary for responsible citizenship. Schools and universities need evidence-based resources and curricula that can inspire practical change, not just theoretical understanding. Policymakers and business leaders seek actionable insights to inform reforms and drive holistic, systemwide transformation.

Against this backdrop, our team committed to a research-driven movement to advance prosociality and responsible consumption. We aimed to bridge the gap between knowledge, intention, and behavior, empower social enterprises with robust measurement frameworks, and lead curriculum reform at every educational level. Our vision was clear: to enable individuals and organizations to make informed, ethical choices that benefit society and the planet.

The initiative was further reinforced by the support of leading stakeholders, including the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the Education Bureau, the Consumer Council, and the Hong Kong Council of Social Service-HSBC Social Enterprise Business Centre. Their partnership signaled a collective recognition of the urgency and potential for impact. For instance, for our three-year educational program, annual themes ranging from food waste and overpackaging to fast fashion were selected to resonate with younger generations, sparking widespread media coverage and public engagement.

Ultimately, our call to action is rooted in the belief that transformative change begins with knowledge but must be sustained by community-driven collaboration. By mobilizing students, educators, social entrepreneurs, and corporations, we sought to build a movement that not only raises awareness but also delivers tangible, lasting benefits for all.

Description of Research Initiative

Our initiatives are informed by research integrating micro-level and macro-level approaches, aiming to cultivate prosocial behavior and responsible consumption across diverse stakeholder groups.

At the micro level, we expanded the theory of planned behavior and knowledge-attitude-behavior models to better understand and promote socially responsible consumption (SRC) among individuals, especially those in Generation Z. Through surveys, field experiments, and multiwave studies with thousands of participants across the U.S., the U.K., and Hong Kong, we investigated the impacts of general versus specific environmental knowledge on actual behaviors.

Our research revealed that specific knowledge, such as understanding the causes of and solutions to pollution, was a far stronger driver of SRC than general awareness. Importantly, we found no significant intention-behavior gap in SRC, suggesting that targeted educational interventions can effectively translate awareness into action.

Another key breakthrough is our concept of “social reminiscence”—reflection on society’s past struggles and progress—which inspires belief in social advancement and prompts individuals to make riskier, prosocial choices (for example, adopting innovative green products). Unlike traditional nostalgia’s focus on personal history, social reminiscence connects people to collective history, empowering them to act for the broader good. This provides policymakers and businesses with a new tool for motivating prosocial action through appeals to shared societal progress.

At the macro level, our team systematically reviewed literature from top academic journals to uncover the multidimensional and dynamic nature of social impact. We developed a comprehensive triple-bottom-line assessment framework, a practitioner handbook, and a QR code-scoring system, enabling social enterprises to monitor and communicate their social impact robustly. This tool was distributed to over 90 percent of Hong Kong’s social enterprises and adopted by major organizations for project evaluation, grant applications, and standard setting.

To address emerging challenges in the sharing economy, we also pioneered research on “paradoxical sharing,” conceptualizing and validating a scale that captures tensions between owner and sharer roles. Across seven studies with over 2,800 respondents in diverse regions, we identified effective strategies, such as peer matching and targeted training, to mitigate these tensions, enhance service quality, and boost provider motivation.

Our initiatives were supported by substantial funding (8.2 million HKD; about 1.05 million USD) and strategic partnerships with the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the Education Bureau, and the Consumer Council. In addition, our annual thematic campaigns—Ugly Food, Shopping Bags & Over-Packaging, and Fast Fashion—were delivered through school contests, TV programs, forums, and resource kits, reaching a wide spectrum of students, educators, and parents.

Beyond education, the initiative collaborated with social enterprises and corporations to implement research findings in real-world settings. Notably, the Hong Kong Social Enterprise Challenge provided a platform for over 10,000 students from 177 universities worldwide to develop and pitch social venture plans, leading to the growth of successful enterprises like Green Price and Flash Green.

Overall, our initiative is distinguished by its evidence-based, scalable approach, its emphasis on actionable knowledge, and its commitment to cross-sectoral collaboration. By bridging research and practice, we have empowered individuals and organizations to adopt responsible consumption and prosocial behaviors.

Impact of Research Initiative

Our research initiative has generated substantial, measurable impact across the educational, social enterprise, and corporate sectors, advancing prosocial and responsible consumption behaviors at scale.

In education, our multiyear program directly engaged 67 schools and over 1,200 students through marketing contests, forums, and TV programs. The TV series alone garnered 1.6 million impressions, 42,197 likes, and 51,764 followers, earning the Most Diversified Learning Activities Award from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Education Bureau. Through collaboration with the Consumer Council, our expertise reached 82,000 students across 375 secondary schools, producing 17,000 study reports that enriched archives and teaching resources.

Multiwave surveys demonstrated a 30 percent reduction in non-essential consumption and significant declines in plastic and paper bag use among participants over three years. Notably, our interventions also influenced parents and peers, with a 44 percent increase in understanding responsible consumption among those not directly involved.

Our measurement framework and research booklet, distributed to over 90 percent of Hong Kong’s social enterprises, helped transform project evaluation and reporting. Organizations like the Conservation and Development of Chinese Culture Charity Foundation and Sunshine Buddies Limited reported marked improvements in prosocial behaviors, psychological well-being, and community participation after implementing our system. Sunshine Buddies, for instance, secured a 500,000 HKD (about 64,000 USD) grant and set a sectorwide standard in impact reporting using our tool.

Our team’s involvement in the Hong Kong Social Enterprise Challenge has engaged 10,321 students from 177 universities worldwide, resulting in 1,872 social venture plans. Success stories include Green Price, now the largest social supermarket chain in Hong Kong, which credits our research for its targeted customer education and strategic partnerships with over 800 suppliers. The chain expanded to 16 stores, achieved 300 percent revenue growth, and diverted 2.5 million products from landfills annually. Similarly, Flash Green’s “Save Wallet, Save Planet” campaign, inspired by our findings, increased sales by 30 percent and forged over 100 supplier partnerships.

Our research has also driven innovation in the restaurant sector, with Bijas Vegetarian adopting food weight-based pricing and launching “Plant with Purpose” to repurpose food waste. The director reported a 30 percent reduction in food waste and 15 percent profit growth over three years, attributing these gains to our guidance.

At the policy level, our work inspired curriculum reforms and practical initiatives in early childhood, primary, and secondary education. Schools introduced programs on “ugly food consumption,” food waste management, solar panel installation, and recycling, yielding awards, increased scientific interest, healthier eating habits, and significant waste reduction. Our sharing economy insights informed cross-school initiatives like Book Exploration and Reading Metaverse, as well as curriculum reform and funding success at Yu Kan Hing Secondary School.

In the corporate sector, our responsible consumption criteria were adopted by the Deignan Award steering committee, enhancing the comprehensiveness of their evaluation process.

Overall, our research has instigated curriculum reform, practical initiatives, and sectorwide policy changes, resulting in measurable behavioral changes, organizational success, and the advancement of a prosocial, responsible society both locally and globally.

Additional Information

• Social Impact Measurement for Responsible Consumption and Other Social Projects, School of Business, Hong Kong Baptist University
• "Social Impact Booklet," School of Business, Hong Kong Baptist University, and The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust